Axel Pauly, `Helden` Riesling Trocken 2018
Country: Germany Region: Mosel Vintage: 2018
Category: White Wine Color: White
Producer: Axel Pauly
"Axel Pauly is one of the dynamic young stars of German wine. He took over the Pauly estate from his father after doing vintages in California, New Zealand and other parts of Germany. Most of the nine hectare estate is situated in the heart of the Mosel Valley, in the village of Lieser, with the exception of a small parcel in neighbouring Bernkastel.
Fittingly, the label features the Mosel hills which, when turned on their side, reveals the 'Tres Naris' (or 'three noses') of Axel, his father and his grandfather. The grey and blue slate soils of Lieser are cooler than the red slate in Bernkastel, which results in more minerally wines than those from its more famous neighbour. The Pauly vines cling to steeply sloping,
vertigo-inducing vineyards, where Axel uses crop thinning, leaf plucking and grape selection at harvest to ensure a ripeness of flavour in the grapes that he preserves through to the final wine.
From the quaffable dry 'Tres Naris' and pristine steely 'Purist' through to the traditional half-dry 'Generations', the stunning quality and great purity of the Pauly range is enhanced by Axel's approach in the winery. Wild yeasts are used until they begin to struggle towards the end of fermentation, at which stage Axel introduces cultured yeasts to preserve the expression of the vineyard character in the wines. The single vineyard 'Helden' Riesling, whose name means 'Heroes', is pure and elegant with wonderful concentration."
Product Features: Sustainable;Vegan;Vegetarian
Winemaker: Axel Pauly
Vineyards:
The 'Helden' (meaning 'heroes' in German) Riesling was harvested from a steeply sloping, south/south-west facing vineyard in Lieser. The soil here is 80% blue slate stone and the vines are trained on a single wire. Stringent crop-thinning, leaf removal and a long ripening period ensured excellent ripeness and flavour in the grapes.
Vinification:
Post harvest, the grapes underwent cold soak for a period of 36 hours. Gentle pressing followed, aimed at extracting the precious Riesling flavours. Fermentation involved both wild and cultivated yeasts, with no malolactic fermentation. Oak ageing in large barrels on full lees for a period of four months resulted in a mellow, smooth wine devoid of any oaky hints.
Tasting Notes:
The wine has a light yellow-green sheen, with the vibrant acidity that is distinctive of Riesling. Fresh aromas of apples and pears dominate the nose, while the palate offers subtle minerality, great inner tension and a long finish.
Food Suggestion: An exceptionally versatile match for a range of seafood or Asian dishes. High acidity provides an excellent complement for the lime-scented seasonings of Thai food or an oily fish such as smoked mackerel.
Closure: Stelvin ABV:12% Acidity [g/l]: 8.6
